Even though the Bugatti circuit uses only a short section of the track made famous by the 24-hour endurance sportscar race, the 4.180 km (2.597-mile) circuit is still a daunting race track and has a character all of its own.

The French GP first ran in 1951, but has since been on and off the calendar, and chased around circuits ranging from classic public road courses like Rouen, Reims and Clermont-Ferrand to the modern autodromes of Le Castellet and Magny-Cours.